1894-04-02 to Maurice Moore

Autograph letter signed, National Library of Ireland, xx words

[Edited for paragraph breaks, capitalization, spelling and punctuation.]

8 Kings Bench Walk, Temple, London

Monday [2 April 1894]

My dear Maurice

Thank you for your letter. It is a great pleasure to know that I pleased you. So far as the others are concerned I need only say that everyone is talking of the book. Crackanthorpe, author of Wreckage. writes to say that it is the greatest book of its kind in the language. Q writes in this week’s Speaker to say that it is better than Hardy’s Tess. But he writes this morning to apologise for this faint praise and, like Crackanthorpe, he says that Esther Waters is the best book of its kind in the language. His letter is better than his article. He says that owing to a shocking headache he expressed himself inefficiently in the article.

The best way to answer one's enemies is by publishing a masterpiece and as I have many enemies the effect of Esther Waters is rather amusing to watch. Nothing remains now but a popular success and I think Esther Waters will achieve that. It is surely a popular book.

Always affectionately

George Moore